Friday, April 13, 2012

There's a song we sing from time to time. It goes something like this in part....

Brother let me be your servant let me be as Christ to you

It is easier for us to serve another. To be there to give a lift take a meal offer a place to stay. To care, but. E able to not do anything. It is far harder to be the person on the receiving end of that care. So much harder to be the one who is allowing the other to be as Christ and serve. Why is that, that we would never see it as putting ourselves out to be there for another, yet we feel a burden in the way so often

What brings this thought, in part the maunday Thursday service as the Priest kneels to wash the feet of parishioners. The same way in which Jesus knelt to was the disciples feet.


Partly as this week I've not felt well, now this isn't fun I don't like not being able to do things. I'm deffinatly the worst patient ESP when doctors and tests are involved. The dummy doesnt just get thrown out its sent into orbit. That happened a few times this week (hangs head)

Let me serve you from offers of a room so as not to be alone, and SMS and calls those word of the song from others has been so real.

The real challenge is the words LET ME BE AS we I have to allow others to come alongside to be Jesus with skin on..... and definitely need a dose of grace to do that.

Tough lessons for each of us to learn.

And thankful that even in the impression of a teenager throwing out the dummy some. Ery special people carried on being just that Jesus with skin on.

6 comments:

  1. Sorry to hear you haven't been well! I do love that song, though: http://holding-the-christ-light.blogspot.com/

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  2. Thanks,

    I'm currently under investigation- thats what it says on the form the dr gave me....

    It's an amazing song and so very challenging.

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  3. we sang that song at the end of the Inspire retreat day over in Eyam

    I donä't think I had heard it before but it carried deep meaning

    I think I used to be rubbish at letting others serve me - but recently I've got better at it (cos I've had to)

    It's always a struggle though - the lie that we are a burden to others - is hard to shrug off. I think that it is a lie though - and brought about our strong-rooted individualism and pride

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  4. Not sure that I can fully agree with your comment at the end

    and brought about our strong-rooted individualism and pride

    There is a element maybe of that..

    But I think there is a part where when living alone for a number of years for whatever reason that has been. That you become used to having to do it. Its not about being individual or proud but something that comes from necessity.

    That if you don't get up and put the washing on even if your feeling terrible after being sick in the night there isn't anyone who will do it.

    The same with asking for a lift from someone who drives on a wet day. With not having a car it doesn't even cross the mind to ask as you just get on with it.

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  5. I meant that the individualism and pride prevent us from being able/willing to receive help when it is offered

    I was not talking about the need to be self-sufficient when we live alone. I hear you about hanging out washing or cleaning up one's own vomit when ill because there is no-one else to do it!

    Being here this year I have had to learn to ask for help (especially with lifts to the station and for getting supplies) - pride and the wrong kind of self-sufficientcy would prevent me from asking - but more difficult still has been the accepting of e.g. an offer of a meal etc because I feel I ought to be managing better (financially) than I am. I hate being poor and I feel 'beholden' or that I ought to 'repay' otherwise I'll be labelled as a sponger - rather than taking it as it's meant - a gift - no strings attached.

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  6. Yeah you that that can become the problem in why some don't ask.. But I still maintain that it comes from being in a different mindset of just not thinking about it. Not being used to having a car for instance you get to know the bus routes and plan around that the best you can ect... asking for the lift tends to be further down the list..

    the same with the mindset of

    hate being poor and I feel 'beholden' or that I ought to 'repay' otherwise I'll be labelled as a sponger - rather than taking it as it's meant - a gift

    BEing invited for lunch for instance- or for coffee. isn't anything really non of us realy think twice about saying oh ill get this

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